Pip and Seras's nightly assaults on the undead had gone well, until a paladin slinked from the shadows and smashed Seras's back with a silver maul. The walk back was almost unbearable; but it was close to an end.

"Ow ow ow ow ow."

"Just a few more steps Seras."

She leaned on Pip, taking small steps to avoid hurting her already injured back. Pip, for his part, was almost carrying her. It did little good, even tiptoeing across the cold stones jarred Seras. Pip could feel the tremors that ripped through her body and the spastic clenching of her fingers with each step. The comforting door to her warm room slowly crept closer, step by agonizing step. After an eternity of anguish they reached the door.

Pip bumped it open and helped Seras in. He walked her over to her soft bed and gently laid her down. He wanted to help her, but didn't know what to do. He could go ask someone, but didn't want to leave her. Seras's sobs were not even slowing. Determined to do something, Pip sat by her and started to rub the area around the wound. She tensed suddenly, not expecting to be touched."It's okay, mignonette, I'll be careful."

He was gently soothing the abused muscles of her back. He circled around her shoulders and neck, careful not to touch the knot of agony in the middle. As the pain quietly ebbed away Seras was slowly allowing herself enjoy the sensation and eventually she was simply breathing quietly. Pip began to push a little harder and massaged a wider arc, his fingers making soft whispers on her clothes. He caressed Seras for several minutes before he stopped. Briefly, Pip wondered if anyone had ever touched her like this.

She needs this, Pip thought and leaned close.

"Seras, can you take off your shirt?"

Numbly, she pushed up on one hand and used the other to unbutton her front. He took the bottom of it and pulled it over her head, letting her lie down. With her shirt gone Pip could finally see the damage done to her. An ugly purple and black bruise throbbed between her shoulders. As he watched, the edges receded; but it would be hours before it finally vanished. He leaned over her, letting his body heat flow into Seras before touching her. He started rubbing the base of her head; pushing out little knots as he moved up and down her neck. He waited for the stiffness to fade before soothing the sore muscles of her shoulders. His palms pushed against her shoulders, pressing against her her neck with each caress. After a minute he felt the stiffness drift away and moved lower.

He skirted around the bruise and stroked her right arm. Pip kneaded her bicep and Seras let out a sigh. He went lower, softly massaging her forearm and hand before he treated her left arm to the same. He moved to her lower back, trailing his fingers across her. He pressed into her skin and glided his hands from her ribs to her hips. Seras began to moan as he pressed into the small of her back, so he began to concentrate there. He worked his fingers along the ridge of her spine, pushing down from her injury to almost her waistline. Feeling the small bumps caused from stress and strain, Pip rocked back and froth across them pushing harder with each pass.

Seras shuddered and sighed as Pip massaged her and slowly her breathing began to quiet. Pip looked to the clock. It was a few minutes to dawn and soon Seras would be asleep for the day. He paused for a moment, admiring the curves of her body, before lightly running his fingers along her sides, across her arms, and stopped with her neck. Pip moved off of her and pulled the pink blanket up to her shoulders. He sat down by her and caressed her soft hair. He bent down and kissed her forehead.

"Sommeil bien, Seras."

Seras mumbled something, but it was to low for Pip to hear. He kept stroking her hair until she was asleep; thinking of how he would finish that evening.

Gift

What does one get for the woman with nothing?

That thought slipped through Pip's mind for hours. Staring at his map, he tried to think of gift for Seras. There was no occasion. A unexpected present was merely something she should have. His eyes went from store to store.

Music, non, she did not have electricity in the basement.Sweets if she could eat anything.

Gems? Peut-etre, I must think longer about them.

Flowers might do, mais they will wither and die, I do not want to remind her of death.

I can get her new clothes, I would have to get her size and she would know.

Gems then. But what type?

He twisted in his chair. There were so many. So many facets of her to show.

A diamond? Oui, a diamond for innocence and to match her soul. Or perhaps an amethyst to show her heart? Peut-etre, she does not seem to fit Seras.

Pip leaned forward, picturing Seras. Her smiling face, her dancing eyes. So many aspects of her.

A sapphire for when she sleeps, non such things were private and the calmness is not her. A ruby? Oui, the fire in her, the flames in her eyes, perfect. Mais, which one?Dejected and momentarily defeated he put his head in his hands. An idea struck him. A necklace! As many gems needed to fit her.

J'ai deux, au moins quatre I'll need. Lapius lazil for her laugh? Non, too cold, too soft. A carmelian, oui, perfect for her. Her will? What should be her will? A jade, a strong gem for Seras.Pip envisioned how the necklace would look, How it sparkle, what it look like on Seras. It was missing something. A gem to show each in harmony.

An opal, opal for happiness. A colour for each. For what she has at last.

Guitar

Seras walked through the light snow to another music shop. She dressed up only so much as to fit in. It was not cold, not to her, and the sharp smell of ice cut at her nose. She could feel the isolated contentment of a few. See the bladed irritation of those still looking. She counted herself among the latter.

Her eyes stung, her feet felt weightless. She closed her eyes, letting her feelings carry her along.

Christmas was slowly creeping up and gifts for her love were short. Cologne? Pip smelled of cigarettes and gunpowder, she liked it. A bed? She wouldn't be able to sleep in it and Pip wanted to be with her.

When the Geese were going through the old and broken equipment she came upon a guitar. The strings were snapped and frayed, the wood rot-eaten and moldy. A few quiet questions later and it was revealed that it was Pip's once. Carried and played from years before a bad shipping had ruined it forever. Pip tried to have it repaired, but the old companion was done and had to be pushed aside. Seras knew what to get him.

She pushed open another door. The loud scent of vacuumed carpet coiled at her. A clerk repeated a corporate-mandated greeting in her general direction. His eyes for the clock only. Seras nodded and walked to guitar section. She passed by several proclaiming their artistry. Saying to Seras that they should be admired and not played. A few professed the power and volume they could attain, but not the melodies and songs they could bring. There did not seem to be a used section.

This one. A physical cousin to the broken friend Pip had once played. The edges still factory sharp. Clean and sparkling from the matte shine. The acid smell of cleaning chemicals. The newest, glittering technologies embedded discreetly into its guts.

Sterile. Soulless. It would not do.

She left unnoticed. The last of the 'recommended' stores exhausted. Just like herself. Seras was tried, too long awake and not enough sleep. She could not feel anything below her waist. She wanted to lie down in her soft coffin, crawl into Pip's warm arms and wish the world away. Seras shut her waking mind down and allowed her feet to fall with the whims of fate. She enjoyed a few moments of unconscious thought when she knew she was here.

The place was old and worn. Not ancient or decrepit but a soft comfortable wear. A quick pace to the door and she was in. The scent of forgotten joyous dreams wafted at her. The clerk called out a happy greeting that Seras tried to return. A lazy fuzz crept over her eyes but she pushed it back. A moment, a push on her mind and she ambled to the guitars. No electrics here. She past over those on display. She felt a pull on one. Older than herself, Seras could feel the joys and mirth of the previous owner. She picked it up and brought it closer. It smelled of old whiskey and rock and roll.It was perfect.

Mother's Day

Seras walked out from her room and toward the main hall. Alucard was a terrible master. He didn't tell important things on her vampiric condition.'Don't look at groups of small things'

That took her half an hour of compulsively picking up sunflower seeds to learn.

'Avoid roses'

Pip accidentally locked her in her coffin for half a day with that one. Right now the only thing she wanted him to tell her was:

'You can still get pregnant.'

Seras waddled unsteadily down the basement hall. Her stomach blocking her immediate view of the floor. The names they'd already decided, an ultrasound was out of the question, Sofia or Adrien. Learning to walk again had been an adventure in itself. She felt so off-balance. Simple things became so hard. She could still do any type of gymnastic trick she wanted, if she felt like it. It just made Pip and everyone else freak out.

Oh please be careful! You might hurt yourself! Do be careful in your condition!

Her condition. Like she was dieing or sick. The next person that thought she was a fragile china-doll to be locked away from the world was going to have their spine pulled out through their nose."Mignonette, don't strain yourself, let me carry you." Pip cried before he swept her up. Next person after. Seras stretched out causing Pip to lose his balance and drop her. She caught her feet easily and waited for Pip to stand up. He wasn't trying to be patronizing, he was sincerely trying to be helpful. Which was why she hadn't killed him yet.

"I am not a fragile little doll and I don't need to be carried" she growled. Pip looked at her with his smacked-puppy look and tried to defend himself.

"I worry about you Seras," a weight of fatherhood was unknown to him, "I don't want anything to happen to you," a second chance for both her and him. The terror that something could hurt either of them kept him awake at night.

Seras was going to let him have it when some one else decided they wanted to be in the conversation. Seras cut herself off as her baby kicked. Pip jumped when Seras changed expressions. "Are you okay?" A brittle edge in his voice.

"The baby kicked."

Seras guided his hand to where little Sofia or Adrien kicked. She watched his eye slip into wonder and peace. He still marveled at their child. It was nice to see him stop worrying and just be. She spent those perfect moments watching and listening.

Christmas Massage

Christmas Eve was not going well for Seras. First she chased a revenant through a bog, smashed her head against broken logs and slogged through ice-choked water. Then she had to run back to camp. Getting there in time to see the last transport leave. She raced after out and managed to grab an outrigger just as they slammed on the brakes and the vampire slammed head-first into the back. But the night still got worse.

It warmed up enough to pour sleet. Chunks of ice embedded itself into the girl's hair and clothes. Dead as she was, cold still felt miserable. She staggered out waiting for new orders. Another vampire spotted in north Wales. Another long, freezing run. The ground was a frictionless mush in moments. Her fingers lost all feeling. The tracks nearly impossible to see, it took her longer to find the new target. Her uniform was in tatters. Holes widened and mud stained the once proud yellow. Her eyes burned from being hit by ice.

Seras blundered into the undead freak. They struck at the other, She drew her gun and pulled the trigger. Just to hear the crunch of a jam. A hook caught her off-guard. She grunted and slammed her fist into its stomach. The ground churned, neither could gain any footing. Seras viciously head-butted it. It kicked her feet out and she took it with her. They punched and beat the other. Seras jammed her thumbs into the vulnerable eye sockets. A squeal. The beating continued. She punched the skeletal form over and over. It ripped and bit, she grunted in pain. Her ribs ached. Her spine throbbed. Its shattered body slowly gave out. Finally, after nearly ten minutes of agony, it died. Seras limped away, too cold and hurt to care.

Mud-covered, frozen and sore the young vampire leaned heavily on Pip. He held her lightly, aware of just how much pain she was in. Sun rise was hours away and Seras couldn't sleep until then. Staggering badly, she let Pip guide her back to their room. Thoughts of Christmas presents a sad memory. Pip worried over her. She was lovely, no matter what.

The warmth of the shared bedroom couldn't melt the ice that formed on the frozen girl. Pip believed he knew how to thaw her. He leaned over to kiss her. Seras looked at him with dull eyes. She slipped away and croaked 'shower' before stumbling to the washroom. Pip checked the clock. Just past midnight. Christmas. Time for Mignonette's gift. He set everything out. Weeks to find and hide for the prefect gift for his love. She deserved this, a night to just rest.

Lavender candles and heated sandalwood oil. Soft fragrances for a jagged night. Massage stones for the days after. The sterile room yielded to the quiet scents. Thumps came from the shower, bits of mud and ice washed away in lukewarm water. Seras kept her pajamas in there. It would only matter if she wanted her whole body caressed. It would be a simple pleasure to undress her anyway.The water cut out after a few minutes. The exhausted vampire stumbled out. Her pajama shirt on backwards and pants left on the floor. Her panties had taxed her concentration to the limit. Her mind focused on one thing. Collapsing into a soft object. Weariness and the gentle smells muffled her thoughts. Her strength failed and she mostly hit the bed. Pip picked her up and arranged her face down. Seras didn't say anything. Too hurt to sleep and too tired to care. The candles Pip set out embraced her. She relaxed a little. It smelled nice. Pip gently brushed aside the shirt. Seras didn't bruise, her death saw to that. Pip quietly rubbed the heated oil between his hands and set to work. He pressed his thumbs into her neck and Seras groaned. Tears slipped from her eyes. The aching muscles of her neck were gently touched and flexed under Pip's loving care. Muscles rock hard, pain swelled. A lifetime of hurt and abuse never healed made it worse. Another tear as his body heat melted the tension. A groan. He warmed her skin. The ice that was her body dripped.

A ragged breath. Pain was a constant friend. Pip forced the agony away. Away from their room, away for the night. The palms of his hands squeezed out the acid in her upper back. Warm oil rubbed into her skin. The heat drifted into her bones. A shiver and nothing more. She was content. He smiled. She needed time to herself. The vampire squirmed into the bed. Her thoughts on Pip's ministrations. The muscles along her shoulder blades were kneaded back and forth. It didn't hurt anymore. Consciousness dwindled but didn't fade completely. Only sunrise would end her pleasure.

Pip went lower, massaging her much abused back. Seras moaned. His fingers gently pushed and pulled on opposite sides of her body. A quiver along her arms. Anything to make his mignonette feel better. Then he found a spotthat she loved to have touched, just above her hips. He rocked back and forth, keeping the pressure even on her. She was light-headed. She hadn't known parts of her hurt and Pip made it go away. He continued, working stiff tension into soft muscle. When her skin became red he swirled his fingers throughout her whole back. Seras grunted approval. He circled her arms. Using his thumbs to break up the knots he found. Her petite hands were last, his fingers massaged hers until she went completely limp.

Seras was nearly asleep drifting a limbo of comfort and closeness, and Pip wasn't finished yet. He poured more oil out and started on her legs. Neglected, her thighs ached for the same attention her back received. The vampire sighed when Pip rolled his hands around her stiff legs. The oil shimmered in the candle light. Lavender surrounded her mind, loving touches on her body. Seras felt like she was in heaven. The many years of running hurt her legs as much as the rest of her. Pip took his time to make the memory vanish. He pressed hard on her, feeling the soreness and knots. He used more of his strength, pushing his thumbs and fingers deep into her. Slowly the bitter agony was ground down and her calves were next.

He stretched and flexed her, tuning his fingers on both sides of her legs. He pushed three fingers into the middle and shook rapidly. Seras cooed. She couldn't remember not being in pain. Pip's careful touches made a lifetime of brutal activity a distant nightmare. Smaller muscles these took him no time to make feel better and her feet were left. Much more carefully he pressed his index finger on each toe and ran backwards. A smile and a moan was his reward. A tiny ray of sunlight crept into the room and Seras passed into blissful sleep.

Touch Returned

Pip demonstrated why you pick up heavy objects with your knees by picking it up with his back.

Cursing himself as Seras carried him to their shared room, he tried not to move his back much and hunch over. The vampire kept much of his weight off of his strained back. It still caused razors of pain to slice open nerves and muscles. His back felt a ragged, wet mass. Both were tired, a long day of grueling work battering them.

Seras pushed open the door with a thought and lead him in. Pip hurled himself onto their comforting bed. Seras arranged her love on it and sat on him, fingers pushing into what sensed right. She felt the weal of agony in his spine. Seras pushed around it, dancing slowly around its edges. Pip grunted and tensed. The undead girl pulled his shirt up to touch him easier.Seras circled closer, more pain leached out. Pip whimpered, razor blades flew around, cutting deep. She put her weight into Pip, pressing hard. The pain exploded, lances of purple agony clawed his back, he gasped and clenched his fists. He tried everything to shove the misery away. Tears formed at the corner of Pip's eyes, his breathing was pained, all his body succumbed to black numbness.And then it vanished.

Relief poured. he collapsed into the softness of their bed. Emptiness where once there was anguish. Seras gently rubbed the spot that ached. Her mission finished, she roamed her love's back. It felt like there were strips of boiled leather embedded in him. Seras massaged them, working him back to normal. The vampire marveled at how different he felt. Dense and unyielding, hard and angular compared to her. The sound of fingers drifting on skin filled the room. Pip grunted and relaxed into her ministrations.

Seras moved higher up his back. Pip twitched, she felt bumps and hard spots under his shoulders. She flowed back and forth just under the bone. Leaning into him, she rocked back and forth. Pip grunted and twitched. Seras massaged him quietly, the rough day faded as her hands moved. There were little bumps under his skin, harsh pebbles of soreness had been impacted into him over the years. Seras pressed down on them, popping them one at a time. She moved around his shoulder blade, squeezing out every tiny little bump she felt. Pip flinched and groaned as the young vampire rubbed him.Pip's breathing slowed and deepened. Seras felt his mind wind down. Sleep would be upon him soon. She leaned under and rubbed his neck. The undead girl had known softer rocks. She pushed her thumbs in more forcefully, keeping away from his spine. She was focused solely on the back of his neck. Her thumbs worked up and down on either side. Pip was almost asleep. Seras listened to the sounds of her hands on his skin.

It was relaxing to her. A simple pleasure given. Seras's eyes were heavy. The day forgotten, merely there two alone now. She leaned down and hugged him as consciousness faded. Seras listened to his heartbeat until she too joined him in slumber.